Lesson No.1

Proudly functioning without a fucking MySpace account since 2004

Tuesday, September 29

LIVE IN HELLSINKI

Anybody who caught Zu at the Invada Invasion in Bristol on Saturday (or Supersonic in Birmingham in the summer) will know this imminent Lesson No.1 delight in association with Swn ain't to be missed. Saddle up THIS THURSDAY, 1 October, then...

Zu are an Italian band who have taken time since the '90s to explore how and where jazz could meet hardcore could meet noise could meet metal could rock your face off. It's abrasive stuff as you might imagine, but life-affirming for real, and we've basically never known anyone to go and see them and not be hit for six. We put them on in 2004 in Le Pub, and they played in Cardiff a year or two before that. They were dope evenings, but sparsely attended. Don't make the same mistake, twits. Their new album 'Carboniferous' is on Ipecac and features Mike Patton and Buzz Osborne, the latest in their many collaborative ventures. Awesome band. Hear for yourself.

Zail = one guitar, one drumkit, some pedals and a storm of overdriven instrumental noise-skree racket. There are two people in Zail and they both used to be in Mountain Men Anonymous. They live in Cardiff and Gloucester respectively and haven't played these parts too much recently, so get involved (turn up early to do this). Listen here.

For all this fun and maybe more, take a trip to downstairs at Clwb Ifor Bach, Womanby Street, Cardiff from 7.30pm - there's a real early curfew on this one (10pm) so don't turn up for last orders and wonder what went wrong. And save two whole coins on the door price by getting an advance ticket for £6.50 here or here.

Wednesday, September 2

I WANT TO (GO)

Summer's all but over, so Lesson No.1's 'holiday' (read: a couple of festivals and some beers in the park) is over. Back in the house with this humdinger on Thursday 24 September; look to the right of your monitor/iPhone/WHATEVER to see a handful of subsequent forthcoming shows, plus stay tuned for news of our Swn show on 22 October.

Lovvers are Nottingham punk-rock party-starters touring amazing debut album ‘OCD Go Go Go Girls’. This is their first Welsh show for 12 months. The last one was put on by us too. It was enjoyable. Seeing as ‘OCD...’ is like everything their three 7-inch singles and mini-album were building up to, this will be even better. Logic, man. Essential noise for fans of Germs, Jay Reatard, early Nirvana, Wipers and 600 others. Feel the (aural) love.

Harbour are South Wales melodic hardcore supremos, mega-catchy and for fans of Dag Nasty, Kid Dynamite and Lifetime. Ex-some other bands you should have liked. We ought to have put them on ages ago but that’s the way it goes. Listen to what we've been missing out on.

Islet = two drumkit freaky noise action from ex-Victorian English Gentlemens Club and current Attack + Defend peeps. Some people have called them the best new band in Cardiff. Feel that hype as fast as it's created! Battles, Oneida and Boredoms fans look this way. Maybe also stuff like Young Marble Giants for their scratchy guitars parts. No MySpace, suckers, so if you're not already aware, you'll just have to trust us on this one.

Saturday's Kids are young locals with Pissed Jeans, Black Flag and Nirvana in their sights, fizzing out awesome gonzo clawhammer punk-rock. They have a really nicely packaged demo (their second) which you can hopefully still buy. They also have the official Lovvers seal of approval! They told us so. Get your ears ready if you don't believe us.

The wheres and what fors? Buffalo, Windsor Place, Cardiff, from 8pm, £5 on the door. Can't say fairer than that. Oh and you may as well Facebook us while you're here, yeah?